Southern Traditions and Double Standards

There are many things I love about living in the South. There are just as many things that I hate about living in the South. Curiously, some things fall into both categories.

Take, for example, manners. The importance of manners should never be underestimated and they are spoonfed to native Southerners from the time of conception. This goes beyond the usual niceties of "please" and "thank you," extending to "sir" and "ma'am" at the least. I won't bore you with all the other tenets of Southern manners - everything you've heard is true.

While I see the value in being polite and showing respect, I absolutely detest being called ma'am. The word makes me feel old and matronly and can raise my blood pressure like nothing else. I realize how completely irrational this is, especially since the terms roll off my own tongue without second thought.

Regardless, that's how I feel...well, that's how I felt, until today. I was 5 miles into my daily run and met a man who was out for a walk. I was jamming to Gnarls Barkley so loud that I barely heard it - "Ma'am." I turned my head - eyes flashing, biting my tongue to avoid spraying venom - only to see this dear man with his hat off his head, clutching his cane, bending at the waist, wishing me a good day and a safe run. You'll be hard pressed to find a sweeter scene anywhere, and I'm quite sure I fell a little in love.

Everybody wants to be a dot

The wandering dot is alive and well in the form of a Guinness commercial. If my likeness must be used, I can think of worse brands! =)

Chapulines...they're what's for lunch

Go to Central America and you'll find lots of unique things to eat everywhere you turn. Finding similar foods in the US is a little more complicated. So, when I found Chapulines on the menu in a D.C. restaurant, I had to try them. Grasshoppers on a taco...I was intrigued. And not disappointed.

A Mexican delicacy, Chapulines are tiny, marinated fried grasshopper carcases. Delivered in handmade corn tortillas on a bed of avocado, they are slightly spicy, slightly sweet, very crunchy, and really wonderful! I highly recommend them, especially since there is no longer concern of lead poisoning from consumption. At the very least, it is good to know that I will never go hungry!

The Great Potomac Primary

Today, I voted in my first Presidential primary - an event dubbed "The Potomac Primary" by the media. I love voting. I always leave the precinct walking a little taller, feeling like I have performed my civic duty and contributed a bit to the betterment of our world. I feel no different this morning, but it was a long road here. I have friends who have firmly supported Barack Obama since the beginning. I have friends who supported Hillary all along. I know even more people who have struggled with their decision for the past 18 months. I fall into the latter category.

Many people, especially women and African Americans, feel pressure to vote for one candidate or the other simply because they are female or black. That is absurd, though I admit I felt the pressure to support Hill for that very reason. Ultimately, we have to look beyond this as we cast our votes. Aren't we teaching our children that color doesn't matter? And - if girls can do anything boys can do, they should earn it and not be handed it by default, simply because of their gender.

In the end, I am proud of my Democratic party for presenting two minorities for Presidential Candidate. Either of them is a far better choice for the future of our country than any of the Republican candidates. In November, I will vote for whichever Democrat is on the ballot. Today - and without hesitation - I cast my vote for Barack Obama based on the changes I believe he can make for our country and for the rights I believe he will protect. Visit www.barackobama.com for specifics.

Adios Central America

I awoke this morning and was momentarily confused about where I was. There were no new bed bug bites, no black flies swarming, no firecrackers and bombs sounding, no fresh coffee brewing. Then, the realization - I am home.

After leaving Utila, I decided to make a quick visit to the Honduran town of Copan Ruinas, which is located near Mayan ruins of the same name. The town itself is very charming, with trademark cobblestone streets and Mayan Artisan Centers lining them. Linka Indians, in particular, have a very distinct style of pottery and I made a significant financial contribution to their people.

The ruins themselves are very beautiful. Experts put them in the same category as Chichen Itza in Mexico and Tikal in Guatemala, which are supposedly the best. Not having visited the others, I can't be sure, but they were incredible. I spent the day wandering through this ancient city envisioning what life must have been like for the people who lived there. Every rock and tree root had a story to tell.

Yesterday, I left Guatemala at sun rise with Volcan Fuego belching smoke and lava in the distance. It was very beautiful and sums up everything that I've come to love about Central America in three short weeks - it's beauty and volatility. There is so much I didn't see, and I was sad to leave, but emotion overwhelmed me when the US customs agent in Miami welcomed me "home."

Under the Sea

Winter in the Caribbean, in general, and the Bay Islands, specifically, can be terrible. Relentless rain covers the islands for days on end making it impossible to stay dry. My time in Utila has proven typical of January and, with the exception of 2 sunny days, it has been cloudy and rainy all week. I keep expecting to see fish swimming in the deep puddles.

It seems that the best solution to avoiding the rain is to get in the water! Utila is the perfect place for this as there's not much other reason to be on this island unless you plan to scuba. Despite very rough seas, which have stranded many on the island as the ferry cannot travel, I was able to complete 7 dives over 3 days. What I saw was spectacular! (Pictured is one of my favorite dive sites from land, Lighthouse Reef.)

Getting under the water was challenging as waves crashed over our heads, tossing the boat unpredictably around, making it nearly impossible to hold onto the guide line attached to the boat for our safety. However, once we descended into the depths of the ocean, things calmed considerably and opened up a whole new world to explore. With few exceptions, visibility was great at 30 meters and I marveled at this wonderland. Diving is so peaceful...a group sport though you feel largely isolated, hearing only the sound of air rushing through the hoses into your mouth and the bubbles as you exhale.

Hand signals between buddies provide communication and we all marveled at beautiful fish and reefs together. My efforts were rewarded with two sightings of Hawkbill turtles, which are so graceful. It was nearly a spiritual experience to watch them effortlessly glide through the water, turning to watch us with mild curiosity. I saw small rays, lobster, horseshoe crabs, jellyfish *OUCH!* and more fish than I can name.

My favorite dive was, surprisingly, the night dive. Boarding the boat at 5 PM, I was anxious about diving in pitch black. I tend to be a little uneasy in familiar surroundings when it's dark, so my apprehension was heightened. Once you descend, it's amazing how the collective lights of the group's torches illuminate life not present in the day time. Vivid reds gleamed in our lights and we saw not one but two octopus, octopi?. We all turned off our torches at the end and were able to see bioluminescent plankton glowing blue and white through our masks. The dive was over all too soon and we surfaced to torrential rain that made us all wish we could sink back down into the inky blackness.

The only disappointment was the lack of whale sharks. They have been spotted regularly on the north side of the island. But, the seas were too rough for the captains to pilot boats to that side, so searches were impossible. I leave this beautiful island tomorrow, already making plans for a return trip and more underwater exploration.

Honduran Wonderland

It's been quite a while since my last post and so much has happened that I'm not sure a post can do it justice. I left Rio Dulce last Sunday on a boat headed towards Livingston. The river itself is a tropical paradise and there was much to see on the two hour journey. The boat made a stop at a natural hot spring in the middle of the river and I was able to swim for the first time on my trip. We saw children paddling in kayaks, a fort built to control river access and am iguana spotted from an impossible distance by our boat driver.

Arriving in Livingston, I no longer felt like I was in Guatemala. It's on the Caribbean coast and feels as such. The people, called Garifuna, are beautiful. They have very dark skin and speak their own language, which is a combination of Spanish and others. It was quite challenging for this Spanish novice to decode! After one night in Livingston, which included the elusive Coco Loco and high intensity punta dancing, it was time to surrender to the call of the islands.

Utila is one of 3 Bay Islands off the Honduran coast. It was an excruciatingly difficult journey to get here, which included a boat, van, shuttle, 2 buses and another boat over 18 hours, but entirely worth it. I arrived too late on New Years Eve to dive, so this afternoon is my first opportunity. I have 7 dives scheduled over the next 3 days, including one tomorrow to the North side of the island where whale sharks have been frequently spotted very recently. I'll also dive tonight in an attempt to overcome my fear of the dark!

New Years was wonderful and spent with an international group of new friends/fellow divers. Australia, Holland, Germany, America and England were well represented in the motley crew that spent the evening together, creating wonderful memories.

Honduras is so different from Guatemala. There is no trash, the trees are lush and the landscape green. The people mostly speak English as tourism is very prevalent here. I love it here and yet the mystic beauty of Guatemala is calling to me. Part of my heart will forever remain in that incredible country.

I am also beginning to feel the call of home. I'll leave this beautiful island paradise on Saturday to begin the journey back. What an amazing trip this has been...one that has renewed my spirit and given me so many other gifts along the way.